Volunteers Join LB Community Foundation to Renovate Local Preschool

The Long Beach Community Foundation (LBCF), in partnership with Precious Lamb Preschool will transform an existing office/storage space at the site into a critically needed private consultation room and provide numerous upgrades to the current outdoor play area. More than 40 volunteers are scheduled to begin renovating the space at the Precious Lamb Preschool at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2016. The project is a part of LBCF’s 2016 National Philanthropy Day project, an annual project created to give back to the community.

The renovated consultation room will provide a discreet and comforting environment conducive to private conversations between a teacher and parent when discussing the needs of a child. Improvements also include transforming an outdoor play area to be a more private, fun, and inviting space for the children. Upgrades to the play area include faux foliage green fencing, a new sandbox area and storage bins, landscape improvements, new playground soft flooring, and new child-sized benches and tables.

Through nurturing and consistent full-time early education, Precious Lamb Preschool meets the growing demands of Long Beach’s homeless and underserved community. Their goal is to develop school readiness through an emphasis on academic, social and emotional development with curriculum nuanced toward trauma. In partnership with local shelters, children ages 18 months to 5 years old receive full-time,

high quality preschool education at absolutely no charge while parents pursue employment, education, rehabilitation, and housing.

“A private consultation room for teachers and parents to openly communicate about sensitive and personal subject matter is a must in this school environment.” said LBCF Board Chair Jane Netherton.

“These children and parents are faced with life altering events on a regular basis and deserve a space to have discreet interactions with school staff and one another. We are thrilled to make this and an enhanced play area a reality for Precious Lamb.”

“The preschool is providing much needed early childhood daycare services for at-risk children with the vision of breaking the cycle of homelessness, one child at a time,” said LBCF President & CEO Marcelle Epley. “Supporting this nonprofit is a way that LBCF and Precious Lamb can both fulfill our organizational missions.”

LBCF is working with Citron Design Group, a Long Beach based design firm to advise and oversee the project management. Other partners providing support for the day include Rebuilding Together Long Beach, Change Agent Productions, and Berlin Coffee Shop. Many of the LBCF’s donor advised fund holders and Board members, as well as Precious Lamb Board members plan to attend and support the event.